From the Get
by ZombieJazz
Summary: Erin has spent her life feeling like she was born into bad news. That those closest to her get hurt. That she can't get a break. With Hank Voight as family, a baby brother who still needs her, and a relationship with a complicatedly-nicely-flawed guy like Jay Halstead, can she move beyond her sordid past for the sake of her own child? This standalone story is set in the Scenes AU.


**Title: From the Get**

 **Author: ZombieJazz**

 **Fandom: Chicago PD**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own them. Chicago PD and its characters belong to Dick Wolf. The character of Ethan has been created and developed for the sake of this AU series.**

 **Summary: The fallout from Erin's pregnancy forces Hank Voight and his blended family try to cope with new challenges while Erin and Jay deal with new dynamics and challenges in their relationship.**

 **This is a standalone story in the Interesting Dynamics/Scenes AU, in which Hank Voight has another child, a disabled teen-aged son named Ethan.**

 **Though, in the AU, it is a standalone story that is not entirely fixed to the previously established AU before the characters. (i.e. So It Goes is not working toward the plot of this story). It will only be an isolated story, likely over about 8-12 chapters. It won't be updated regularly, as I am still writing So It Goes and Aftermath.**

 **I am currently undecided on where this would be occurring in the timeline or even in terms of years. I would assume it's likely about 18-24 months down the road. But I've heard some rumors and gossip speculation about the finale that if it plays out true, I might consider setting the sequence sooner. However, it also means that I will likely not be doing too many updates until after the finale and that there likely won't be too much reference to Ethan until I decide how old he would be in this fic.**

 **SPOILER ALERT: Though this is a standalone story, due to character references and general backstories that have been previously established, there are MAJOR spoilers in this collection from Interesting Dynamics, So This is Christmas, Scenes, Aftermath and So It Goes.**

Hank rose up from his desk, staring out his office window and at his girl, as he reached for jacket and pulled it on. Had found him doing that a lot that day. She'd caught him doing it a couple times. Had given him one those looks of hers that said she didn't appreciate the attention. But something just seemed pretty off about her. Could really sense it. Was just radiating off her.

Erin had real fucking quiet. His kiddo knew he only liked so much chatter. Knew he liked things in the bullpen to be kept brief and to the point. But that hadn't ever stopped her from making sure she got her two-cents in on about any case that was up for discussion. But not that day. She hadn't even been participating in any of the juvenile banter that some of his guys got on. Hadn't even been any coffee time or lunch-run chit-chat out of her.

Been bad enough that he even risked that fucking tone and attitude of hers. Broke his rule about trying to keep up appearances on the job. Not treating her like his daughter. Keeping personal and professional separate. And giving her space as a grown-ass woman too. But, he'd decided that if any pregnant woman was sitting in his squad room looking that off, he'd ask them if they were doing alright or if they needed a personal. Didn't need a huge long explanation. Didn't need to delve into the fact she was carrying his grandchild and he wanted both her and the baby healthy. Just needed to keep it about the job. And with the looks of her that day, she didn't look like she was up to muster at all.

She hadn't much liked being called into his office. Got crossed arms and that glare. A real fuck-off vibe. But he got brushed off. Just got told that she'd been having some trouble sleeping.

And, he supposed he could accept that statement. Erin was really starting to show at that point. On her small frame, his grandson had really popped. Actually with the way she was carrying the kid, he was pretty convinced it must be a boy. But her and Halstead were keeping that under wraps, which made him think it might actually be a grand-daughter he had on the way.

Had watched Camille deal with enough pregnancies too – seen how she carried their boys. Had had to try to get some shut-eye in her tossing and turning and trying to find a comfortable position, while fucking cursing him and blaming him for the whole fucking sleep situation she was dealing with. Which was fair enough. But also thought that most of the blame probably should've gone with J and E.

But thing was, he'd also been by his wife's side through some miscarriages and through that scare they had with E getting to them early. So he had some sense of when things just didn't seem right. Though, acknowledged, some of that was coupled with his own anxiety for Erin. And just wanting her and the baby to get through this pregnancy happy and healthy.

So spending the day watching how Erin was really having to haul herself out of her chair to go pull files or pick up documents from the printer – or more frequently to shuffle to the restroom – he could tell she was uncomfortable. Maybe uncomfortably uncomfortable. Too much so.

Almost felt like she shouldn't be at work. As a father, he sure as fuck felt that, with the way she was carrying herself and the kind of work she did. And as a boss, it'd pretty much reached the point that if she didn't file for it soon – he was going to have to put her on ass-duty himself. Because he couldn't really have someone out in the field like that. Running a case. In fucking body armor. And it'd likely make a hell of a lot more sense for her to get borrowed over to some desk job in the Ivory Tower for the duration of the pregnancy. So he could free up a desk and a position on his team in the interim – for on the ground. But hadn't quite figured out how to navigate that one as a boss or a father yet. Too fucking loaded on either accountant and a whole lot of PR, red tape bureaucratic bullshit too.

Throughout the pregnancy he'd done his best to keep his nose out of her business and not interject his opinion – or bits of wisdom. She'd made clear from the get-go that she didn't much appreciate it and didn't want to hear it. He worried about her, though. A lot. But you worried for your kids. It was just how it worked. Didn't matter she was in her thirties. Or she was getting close to being a mother. You still worried.

And he knew that as much as Erin had wanted a family of her own and had been working at establishing that. That she'd made a conscious decision about having this baby. Also knew that she would be struggling a whole lot of demons from her past too. Being too hard on herself. Worrying too much about what kind of mother and parent she could be or would be. That she doubted herself way too much. There was still that whole self-esteem and self-worth and self-confidence issue with her. Even if she was getting better at it. Even if she didn't talk to him much about how she was feeling about all of this.

But he also knew she could handle it. Knew she'd be a good mother. So, he'd just forced himself to accept that he shouldn't be badgering her. No matter how much he wanted to. Because he knew if he crossed too many lines during this pregnancy or after his grandchild got her – there'd be a friction between them. And sometimes the kind of burn that left could be pretty difficult to heal. His family had learned that over and over the hard way. So he knew now wasn't the time to create strain in the relationship. Not when there was a new family member on the way.

That day, though. Been so fucking hard to keep from badgering her. He'd started worrying about her even more when he saw her placing her hand on her baby bump more than usual. Was real hard not hen-pick her about that. To really push demanding to know what was wrong.

Because Erin had tried real hard to keep the pregnancy quiet at work. Had even waited to tell him until she got through her first trimester. Which he understood. But still, as a father and knowing what she'd been through, had wished he'd known sooner. Or officially known. Because again, he'd seen his daughter pregnant before – even if that baby didn't get to meet the family. He knew some of the telltale signs in her. And even if he hadn't, he'd seen his wife go through it. He'd picked up on the fact there was likely a bun in the oven before he got the official little announcement and sonogram picture for the fridge.

But they kept that as their private family business. Didn't come into work. But she'd only been able to hide it there so long too. Could see it in her face. He thought. But the changing in wardrobe from her usual well-fitting attire to near constant baggy sweaters and that fucking giant, puffy winter jacket had only raised more suspicions. Not that anyone had said much. It'd pretty much just reached the point she was showing so obvious that everyone acknowledged it. The whole don't-ask-don't-tell aspect kind of fell to the wind. You didn't need to ask. It was clear she was pregnant.

But Erin tried to be casual about it. She hardly talked about it. Hank had even noticed that when she initially did start to feel the baby moving, she'd try to be conscious about not leaving her hand there feeling it. At least at work. The initial reaction to move her hand to her growing abdomen would be tempered by her clearly telling herself not to attract attention. So the hand got dropped away real quick.

Not that day, though. He'd spotted her hand resting on her bump more than not.

He paced out of his office, hands in his jacket pockets as he planted himself in front of her desk. She tried real hard to look like she was engrossed in whatever fucking paperwork she was doing. But he wasn't buying it. Really hadn't been buying it all day.

"My grandson moving around a lot today?" he asked.

She gave him a small glance. Her eyes checked out the rest of the office too. Couple of the guys were still there. Could tell that made her uncomfortable when he was going to go personal on her. But she could deal. He was dealing.

"Who told you that you're getting a grandson?" was all she provided coyly and looked back to her computer.

Hank just smacked. Was worth a try. "The baby moving around a lot today?" he put to her instead.

She just made a sound and shrugged at him. Barely an acknowledgement. But he'd seen he'd that day, in addition to her hand keeping the baby company, she was squiring around in her chair. Sometimes it was accompanied with a bit of a cringe.

"I'm taking off," he told her. "Want a lift?"

Still didn't get a look. She kept staring at the screen. But she managed, "I'm OK. Thanks."

"Jay picking you up?" he asked.

That got an evil eye. "I can drive, Hank."

He grunted. Knew she could. Wasn't sure she should. Not because of where she was in the pregnancy. Because she was acting like she was passing a kidney stone.

"I'm getting this wrapped. Then I'll head out," she pressed at him.

He grunted but kept her eyes. "Don't think you've got any paperwork that can't wait until morning."

She made a sound and shifted her eyes back to the screen. His girl clearly felt the conversation was over. But she was wrong.

"Erin, you look like you need a ride. So wrap it up and I'll give you a lift."

She sighed out some frustration and cast him a firmer look. "Hank, I'm fine. Don't be a Mother Hen." But even as she said it, she shifted in her chair again and her hand went back to the baby.

"Don't look to fine, Kiddo," he put flatly.

She shifted some more. Cringed really. "I just keep having some Braxton Hicks today," she said in a hushed voice, raising her eyebrows at him again with a little gesture of her head, indicating she was unimpressed by the company still in the bullpen. That he was getting her unwanted attention. Giving it to her too.

But thing was he knew enough about pregnancy, he wasn't going to buy the Braxton Hicks line either. Pretty damn sure those things weren't supposed to go on consistently all fucking day. Her using that line and excuse, though, did rile him up some, because it made him wonder if this was a bit more than a false labor.

"Halstead know what's going on?" he put to her bluntly.

She made a dismissive sound. "He's been at some sort of training exercise all day. He's on shift tonight."

He smacked again. Didn't much like that she wasn't telling the guy what was going on. But that wasn't something he was going to wade into immediately. Their relationship and communication skills was something for them to iron out. And wasn't going to get on either of them about Halstead picking up some extra hours and banking some days before the baby arrived. But did think Erin should be keeping him abreast of her condition if she was in the kind of discomfort he was witnessing that day.

"C'mon," he ordered. "I'll give you a lift to Med. Get it checked out."

"Hank," she snapped at him and glared. It was the mind-your-own-business tone that she'd really perfected over the course of her pregnancy.

But he wasn't listening. Done being her boss for the day. Now he was going to be her father. Didn't care if they had an audience. Didn't care they were at District. Just cared about her and the baby's well-being.

He grabbed at the chair by her desk and sat down. She just kept the glare on him. "I'll wait," he shrugged. "'Til Jay's here. Or until you're ready to call it a day."

She glared harder. "Hank, I'm fine," she hissed at him. "Go home. To Ethan."

He just shrugged at her again. "Supposed to be over at RIC tonight. Not a problem. Shoot him off a text."

He pulled out his phone. But she just shook her head at him.

"Humor me," he told her. "Let me take you over. Get it checked. You've looked out of sorts all day."

"Hank, this is the last time I'm saying it – I'm fine. Go home," she said.

"Humor me," he said again.

She slammed down her pen harder than was really necessary – a vain attempt to make a point. "I've had Braxton Hicks almost my entire pregnancy. I know what they feel like."

He shrugged. "Then shouldn't be at Med long. Get checked out. Give you a lift home. Even buy you a meal on the way."

"You're pissing me off," she warned.

"Not new," he graveled.

She glared hard. Really trying to do that teen-aged girl challenge that had stayed with her right through to adulthood. But something must've clicked in her because she groaned out something that was almost a sigh.

"Fine. Whatever," she grumbled at him and worked a pulling herself to her feet. "This chair is as uncomfortable as fuck anyways. And I'm really sure the ones that I'll get to sit on for hours in the ED will be even better."

He grunted some amusement at her sarcasm. Another fucking holdover from her teens. "Glad to see it. Need to focus on the positives."

She'd cast him another look but she did grab her coat. And he hauled himself out of his chair too.

Pick your battles. Win the war. But needed to be cognizant of the victims and causalities in it all. Was going to do what needed to be done to make sure his family didn't have any more of those. Even if it meant Erin was going to be momentarily pissed at him. Because, really … what else was fucking new?

 **AUTHOR NOTE: Not sure where this fits into the timeline or if it's a real standalone just within the AU. Also not sure how regularly I'll be updating. And, as I've said before, this will only be a handful of chapters — not an epic novel like some of the other stories in this AU.**

 **I am currently undecided on where this would be occurring in the timeline or even in terms of years. I would assume it's likely about 18-24 months down the road. But I've heard some rumors and gossip speculation about the finale that if it plays out true (which I both simultaneously doubt will happen but after how disappointing this season has been wouldn't be surprised if it happens but would also fundamentally hate them doing that route — and can state with some certainty that they'll just be redoing the miscarriage storyline from Fire), I might consider setting the sequence sooner. However, it also means that I will likely not be doing too many updates until after the finale and that there likely won't be too much reference to Ethan until I decide how old he would be in this fic.**


End file.
